We Belong

This morning I was feeling good. I kept up a pretty good pace, and caught the green lights. Oh, did I catch the green lights: 7000 S, Winchester, 6400 S, 5400 S (as it was turning yellow). As I passed through 5400, I caught up with two "serious cyclists". One was sponsored by Spin Cycles, the other by Team Wheeler. I caught them. Now, my momentum through the light helped, but even after catching them, and slowing down to draft behind them, they didn't drop me. I held tight to their wheels, and could have even pushed on, but chose to enjoy the short respite. As we approached the light at 4800 S, they were turning right, and I would have loved to follow them, but I was running late for work and had to take a left to find a shorter route. I think that I could have hung with them up to 500 W, where I would have had to turn, through the climbs and all. Simply because I belonged. Yes, that's right. I belonged in that group. My riding was up to the level they were at. I could have taken a pull at the front. Man, that's a good feeling.

I felt that sense of belonging in a group in 2006 while doing the Cycle Salt Lake Century. Penny Perkins had gathered me into a group that was flying. As I cycled through the paceline, I thought that I was doing great to hang on. But then she told me to take a pull at the front. I was doubtful. I thought that I was barely hanging with the group, but when I pulled through and took the lead, I was able to keep the pace. I took a solid pull at the front. I belonged.

Then, it all came tumbling down as I flatted while easing back into the line, and lost the group for the rest of the ride. But, for that few minutes, I belonged. Later in that day I felt a sense of importance as I pulled a group through the headwinds, but it wasn't the same sense of belonging. Those couple of moments were magical.

I think that we all yearn for that sense of belonging in some way in our lives, and there are times when we feel it. These aren't the only two times I've felt it, but the remind me that it is a wonderful feeling when it comes.

I belong. For the next few minutes, I belong.